Valve for shock absorbers



N0V 27, 1951 w. G. PATRIQUIN VALVE FOR SHOCK ABSORBERS Filed Jan. 29, v1949 R. w m w s N lw Y w. m M ma E 6 m m G M m .M

Y B .RAQVM Patented Nov. 27, 1951 VALVE FOR SHOCK ABSORBERS William G. Patriquin, Cleveland, Ohio, assigfnorv to The Gabriel Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Application January 29, 1949, sen-a1 No. 73,618

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to hydraulic shock absorbers of the directv double acting tubular type, and more particularly to an impact and replenishing valve structure for this type of shock absorbers.

Direct double acting tubular shock absorbers utilized on vautomotive vehicles having spring suspended frames usually comprise a cylinder attached to the axle of the vehicle and a piston in the cylinder which is connected` with the frame so that when the wheels of the vehicle pass over a rough surface the piston and/or the cylinder move relative to one another. The cylinder contains a suitable oil which is expelled from one end of the cylinder into a reservoir when the axle and frame move toward one'another, relatively. This action is referred to as the "impact stroke ofthe shock absorber and in many instances it is desirable to restrict the flow of iluid from the cylinder on the impact stroke for restraining the normal compression of the vehicle springs. When the cylinder and piston move in the opposite direction after impact, i. e., on recoil it is desirable to cause the oil to freely re-enter the cylinder so that the tendency ofthe piston to create a vacuum in the cylinder is obviated by the relatively free re-entrance of the oil into the cylinder.

The present invention is directed to a valve structureto be employed in the cylinder to control the passage of the oil from and to the cylinder on the impact and recoil movements of the shock absorber respectively,V and an object of the invention is to provide a valve structure restricting the flow of 'fluid from the cylinderl on impact and aording relatively free passage of the fluid to replenish the cylinder on recoil.

Another object of the invention is to provide a valve structure of the character referred to in the preceding paragraph consisting of a mnimum of parts which may be inexpensively manufactured and assembled.

Other objects and advantages of' the invention will be apparent from the following description of two preferred forms of the invention, refverence being made to the accompanying drawings wherein: Fig. l is a view, partly in section, of a direct Vdouble acting hydraulic shock `absorber suitable for use on an automotive vehicle;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view in section and on a larger scale showing one form of impact and replenishing valvestructure for shock absorber 'shown in Fig. 1, the parts of the valve structure 'being shown in the positions assumed during the impact stroke of the shock absorber; y Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing vparts of valve structure in the positions assumed during the recoil stroke of the shock absorber;

Fig. 4 is aviewtaken on line 4'-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is -a perspective view of a valve sup'- porting member of the valve structure; and

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing a different form of valve structure.

Referring to the drawing, for the purpose o illustrating preferred embodiments of the invention, I have shown a shock absorber I4 which may be similar in general construction to wellknown types of direct double action shock absorbers such as that described in U. S'. Patent #2,396,227, for example except for the impact and replenishing valve structure. The shock absorber I4 comprises a cylinder I5 in which a piston I6 is adapted to reciprocate, the term reciprocate also includes movement of the cylinder on the piston. The cylinder I5 is mounted concentrically within a cylinder Il and spaced therefrom to form an oil reservoir I8 intermediate the cylinders. The two cylinders are suitably connected at their lower ends to a common end cap 26, and a plurality of grooves 2l are formed in the lower end edges of the cylinder I5 for providing oil passages between the cylinder and the reservoir I8. The end'cap 20 is provided with the usual ring I9 by which one end of the absorber may bel attached to the axle of the vehicle, for example. The upper ends of the cylinders I5 and I'I have the usual construction, (not shown) for reception of aV piston rod 23 which is connected at one end to the piston I6 and the oppositey end of which is connected to a ring structure 24. lThe ring Z may be suitably attached to the frame of the vehicle as is well understood in the art. An outer cylindrical casing 25 is attached to the ring structure 24 and it surrounds the cylinders I5 and I1 and provides' a shield therefor., ity being understood. that the cylinders are adapted to telescope withinY the casing during movement between the cylinders and the piston.

Referring to Figs. 2 through Ll,y an impact and lreplenishng valve structure indicated generally at 2l, is mounted in the lower end of the cylinder I5 and this structure is adapted to control the flow of oil between the cylinder l5 and the reservoir i8 so that as the oil between` the valve structure and the piston` |16 is acted upon during impact movement of the shock absorber the valve restricts the flow of oil to the reservoir but on the reverse movement or recoil the cil now back into the cylinder is relatively 'unrestricted.

The valve structure 21 comprises the usual closure plate 28 which is adapted to be crimped against an annular shoulder in the lowerv end of the cylinder I5 with the peripheral edges in substantially sealing engagement with the walls of the cylinder. The closure plate is` dished and it provided with a central circular openingf and relatively large openingsy 313; 'pre'ferably four sides of the closure plate, respectively. A portion 35 of the member 32 is adapted to closely i'lt thewalls of the opening 29 to, guidethe member in..Y

the opening and the diameter of thejremainderof.

the member is reduced to permit passage of oll between the walls of the opening and the member. The upper end of the member 32,' asv'ie'w'ed in Fig. 5, has a circular flange formation3`..

formed thereon for retaining the valve plate 34 between the,v flange and the closure plate 28, the valve platehavine a =entr2l1 Opening through whicamember ,zextenasf The vente plate .may

be mounted so that it can slide on the portion of the member 32. Qil passageways are provided along the sides of the member 32 by slots 38 which are preferably milled in the flange 31 and longitudinally of the portion 35, and theY depth of the slots are preferably equal to the difference in radii of the two main portions of the member 32. v The I slots 38 and the space' between member` 32 and the walls of the opening 29 form an oil passage- ,way from above the valve plate 34, when the latter is against plate 28, andfthrou'gh/the plate 28,

land which passage` is of Vconsiderably less cross sectional area than the total areas of the open- The valve plate 33`is preferablyl formed of relatively yrigid material such as ber, metal or plastic for example, and it has a central opening through which Ythe member 32 extends.

valve plate 33 against the closure plate 28 and over the opening 29 and this spring is held in tension by a cup 4I secured to the lower end of the 'member 32. 'Hou/ever, the valve plate mayA be forced away from the opening by oil pressure i in the cylinder resulting from a shock impact as is illustrated in Fig. 2 wherein the arrows indicate the path of travel of theoil expelled from the cylinder I5.

The valve lplate 34 is preferably formed of a suitable rigid material'which may be similar to that of valve 33 and it is of such diameter that it extends over the four openings 3D. The reaction of spring 40 against valve plate 33 and the cup 4| causes the member 32 to normally retain the valve plate 34 against plate 28 to close the openings 33, as is shown in Fig. 2. When the shock absorber recoils from an impact, however, the tendency of the piston to create a vacuum reduces the pressure between the piston and the valve plate 34 and the latter moves from the plate 28 carrying the member 32 upwardly contra to the reaction of the spring '40. This movement of the Valve plate 34 uncovers the openings ."l and .permitsrelatively unrestricted passage of the oil therethrough and into the cylinder I5 between the piston and closure plate as is indicated by the arrows in Fig. 3. Y f y By referring to the arrows in Figs. 2 and 3, it will be seen that on the impact stroke the valve plate 34 closes openings 30 and the oil expelled Vvfrom thecylinder passesl therefrom through the relatively restricted openings formed by slots 38. QhirQQtrQFe ?.IQWeYerr Valle Plate 350,1???15 Preferably, a collT Vspring 40 is adapted to'normally maintain the the relatively large openings 30 so that the cylinder may be quickly replenished by a relatively heavy volume of fluid. f

In the embodiment ofthe invention shown in Figs. 2 and 3 the valve plate 34 is preferably vformed of a suitable material which is relatively rigid and requires the reciprocation of the member32 in the opening 29 for operation of the valve.

In Fig, 6 IM have jshown another form of valve which, with the exception of the valve plate 34.

is .similar tothe valve 21 and similar parts are designated by the same reference numerals having a priine sufflxed thereto. In the Valve shown inlig, 6, plate 34 is replaced by a plate 43 which is formed of a relatively thin flexible disk which may be of any suitable material, such as metal, fiber or plastic, for example and which is adapted to flex upwardly, as shown in the broken lines of Fig. 6, on the replenishing stroke of the piston I6. Upon'the impact stroke of the piston nowever, the plate 43 will maintain the openings 33 closed and'thereby cause the oil to pass through the slots'38 land opening 29.

It will be seen fromk the foregoing description that an impact andreplenishing valve is provided which lends itself to economical manufacture and which will be efficient and dependable in its operation. Y

Although I have described but two forms of the invention it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a valve structure, a'flxed closure plate having a plurality of openings therethrough, a movable supporting member'extending through one of said openings and projecting beyond the opposite faces of said' closure plate and provided posite side of the closure plate with respect to the first mentioned Valvev plate and normally closing the'other of said openings in the closure plate, said head portion of the supporting memberoverlying said second valve plate, and cooperating means on said head portion of said supporting member andsai'd second valve plate forming fluid passageways communicating with said one opening.

2. In a valve structure vas dened in claim 1 and wherein said second valve plate is flexible and may flex relative to said supporting member and away from saidxed closure plate to open said other openings.

3. In a valve vstructure as defined in claim 1 and wherein said supporting member has a guiding 'portion 'adjacent the .head portion thereof and cooperating withthe Wall of said one opening for guiding the member'for reciprocation in said one opening, said guiding' portion having a channel extending longitudinally thereof and forming a passage and communicating with said cooperating means on said head portion and said second named valve plate, said second named valve plate being rigid and mounted on said guiding 5 acts to seat the second valve plate on said closure plate in addition to said spring acting to seat said rst valve plate against said closure plate.

WILLIAM G. PATRIQUIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

6 UNITED STATES PA'IENTS Number Name Date Bates Dec. 4, 1934 Beckel Feb. 12, 1935 Nickelsen May 23, 1939 Boor Oct. 17, 1944 Rossman July 3, 1945 

